Hackers Beware!

A Bahraini computer whiz kid is helping businesses and organisations tackle the scourge of illegal hacking … with the help of a grant for young entrepreneurs.

Talented techie Ahmed Husain has turned his computing skills and expertise into a business venture by joining hands with big corporations to ensure their IT systems stay secure.

He began his 18-month-old venture, Reload Consulting Services, with his hard-earned savings of BD20,000 and a laptop.
 
Ahmed, 25, said: “Hacking is highly unethical and used by criminals to extract information. My friends used to always ask for help because of virus attacks and phishing (attempting to acquire information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details) on their home computers.

“I soon realised I could turn my IT talent into a business venture. Many banks, companies and organisations rely on people with my kind of skills to help keep their systems safe.

“I help them figure out the different entry points into their IT systems and make them safe from further attacks. Nowadays I’m involved in all kinds of IT operations like email, website and online services, including banking services.
“I’m able to put together simulated situations which emulate real time internet activity. By trying and succeeding to break into servers I discovered weaknesses and how these can be exploited.

“Once you know how people can get around security systems the better you are at finding a solution to stop them.”
 
Today Ahmed’s client list has grown to double figures reaching from Bahrain to Qatar and he is planning to hire like-minded energetic youngsters to expand his fledgling business empire.

Tenmou, Bahrain’s first business angels’ company, was so impressed with his achievements it has backed Ahmed’s venture with a capital injection of BD20,000 alongside mentorship evenings with investors as well as sessions with specialist partners. He is also benefitting from an introduction to potential clients, networking opportunities and in-depth guidance over a period of three months.

Ahmed, a former student of Al Hedaya, a public school in Muharraq, was one of three bright students in his year to win a scholarship to pursue an undergraduate degree in computer engineering from the King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia.

He worked with three organisations before being bitten by the entrepreneurial spirit and starting up on his own. After three months of preparation and research he launched the business in September 2010.

Ahmed believes the support and encouragement he receives from his parents Husain Abdulla and Hajar Al Dailami, both teachers, have influenced his attitude towards hard work and have given him the confidence to succeed.

“My parents influenced me to study well,” he said. “I was in Grade 8 or 9 when I was introduced to the internet and have always loved computers. My parents were amazing and they bought me my first computer, built to my specifications, from Saudi because the one I wanted was not available in Bahrain.

“Cracking a password is the primary method to hack a system and most people fail to provide a strong password for their email and internet banking accounts.

“Free email services Gmail and Hotmail urge users to have a password with numbers and capital letters but many people ignore this advice. A numerical and complex character helps in keeping your account safe because the breaking time for the password becomes so much more difficult.

“A normal eight character password with lower case letters will take me just three hours to crack. But, if you add one capital letter it makes the process longer. I like a challenge from clients and sometimes it can take me from three hours to three days to crack it.”

Computer users can often fall victim to attacks on their Uniform Resource Locator (URL) which redirects them to a false server which prompts them to change their password. They do not notice any changes and often have no inkling of what has happened as their personal information and accounts are copied and exploited.

Statistics by Kaspersky Security Network data, for example, this week revealed that over the last three months Trojan bankers have been detected on an average of 2,000 unique users’ computers every day. Moreover, 780 signatures for new malicious programmes that target sensitive financial information are added to its antivirus database on a daily basis – that is 1.1 per cent of the total number of malware detected every day by the company’s software.

GulfWeekly recently highlighted the case of a British expat family in Bahrain who had their holiday money scammed by rogue email operators, losing their deposit while booking for a trip to Africa.

Ahmed said: “What often happens is that an innocent computer user ends up going through a fake page which simply copies all their credentials before redirecting them back to the original page they were viewing. If that happens, the attackers – the same people who send through spam messages – have all the information they need to look into your emails and open your bank accounts.
 
“It’s a similar situation with phishing websites and fake internet banking sites that replicate a trusted bank’s log-in pages.”

One of the most popular services Ahmed provides is to monitor the internet and spams for his client. “Whenever a replicable site fires up we take all the necessary measures to close it down, prevent users from using spam emails and alert all the entities,” he explained.

“It can save huge sums of money, inconvenience and heartache. Working in such critical environments has made me realise how important this business is.

“It is also fun because working with every new client brings with it unique challenges and problems. There are no copy and paste solutions.”

Ahmed believes that Tenmou’s vision will help young Bahraini entrepreneurs establish their companies. “I’m impressed with Tenmou’s vision – the shareholders and stakeholders take a personal interest and want you to succeed.
 
“I have not found anything similar to what it is offering in the region. The only other option appears to be to take out an expensive bank loan.

“My message to new entrepreneurs is to start small and grow the idea but have a goal.

“Thanks to Tenmou’s investment I believe it brings the nominal value of the company to BD100,000. I never expected to reach this stage at the age of 25. I always believe in the saying ‘jump into the unknown – you will either find solid ground or learn how to fly!”

Three other recent recipients of Tenmou’s funding, who were selected through a competitive selection process, include a weight loss boot camp – Pankooshi’s Weight Loss Centre; a 3D animation studio – Reality Animation Studios and a gaming community centre – Live Gaming.

Applicants were evaluated based on the uniqueness of their ideas and the potential for regional, and perhaps even global, expansion in the future. The individual entrepreneurs behind the ideas were also assessed for both their practical skills and passion for their respective propositions.